Draft regulator



Dec. 4, 1928.

B. GOODMAN DRAFT REGULKTOR Filed Dec. '7, 1927 Patented Dec. 4, 1928.Y

UNITED STATES PATENT oFFicE. f

BARNEY GOODMANQDF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

DRAFT REGULATOR.

Application led December 7, 1927. Serial No. 238,353.

' are operated at extreme loads which necessarily subjects them to high 'and low pressures` thereby necessitating the use of regulators which are adapted to function under these eX- treme conditions without impairing their sensitivity and reliability.

Further, since it is the -usual practice for Y generating systems to produce loads of varying capacity, it is desirable that their regulators be readily adjustable to effect economie regulation at the desired pressure or pressures. j v

It is common practice to, after a new supply of coal has been-fed to the fire, open the draft closure to cause a quick burning of the fuel, and as soon as the fuel has a good start to close it again` while in the present invention the device is 'designed so that it can be set to gradually and automatically reduce the draft opening during this period, to effect an economy in operation. Y g

An object of the present invention is to improve the construction and operation of devices of the character mentioned.

An object of the invention is to provide an inexpensive device which is effective to render automatic regulation over a Wide operating range. V v

in object of the invention is to provide simple means for varying the range of operation of a regulator with ease and accuracy.

An object of the invention is to provide a regulator which is sensitive to heat changes, thereby insuring economie fuel consumption and eicient operation at any predetermined load.

An object of the invention is the provision of an automat-ic regulator which does not ne-P cessitate the use of a thermostat orother complicated or expensiveexpedients.

An object of the invention is t provide a regulator that can be set at the time a supply of coal is fed to the furnace so as to give full draft, and arranged so that it will gradually vand automatically reduce that draft until it is time for a new supply of coal to be fed to the furnace, at which time it may readily be reset to perform the same operation.

. An object of the invention kis to provide means for cutting out or making ineective themechanism provided for gradually 'reducing the draft, and thereby converting it so as to automatically regula-te the draft,either by increasing or decreasingrit automatically with the fluctuation of boiler pressure which feature is especially useful in `severe weather when suiiicient heat is more important than a strict economy in fuel consumption. Y .1 v

With the foregoing and such other objects in view as will appear as the description provvceeds, the invention resides inthe combination and arrangementof parts and in the details of construction hereinafter Adescribed and claimed, it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment herein described, may be made within the scope of what'is claimed without departing from thescope or spirit of the invention. l

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is aperspective view ofl a boiler having the regulator of the present invention mounted thereon.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary sectional view showing a regulator embodying featuresof the present invention. t

- Figure is a sectional view taken on line 3 3 of Figure 2.

Figurell is aV detail view of a. slotted connection. Y

Figure 5 is a perspective view of cam lever.

A regulator illustrative ofthe present invention is shown applied to an ordinary steam boiler 10 having the vusual hinged, gravity 4operajced fire boX draft door 11, which controls the admission ofair rto theiire box, and

a trip or steam the'usual hinged damper closure 12 which f controls the intake .of airv to the flue 13 through which the smoke and waste flue gases escape to the atmosphere.

Steam pressure in the boiler 10 communb cat-es with a steam or pressure cylinder 14 which in this instance,fisc-vertically disposed and mounted so thatits lower or steam end `is subjected to the pressurein the valved with thecy1inder14 intheusual"conventionalV manner; A piston 18g-is mounted for reciprocation in the cylinder 14 so that the centrally disposed piston' rod 19 securedwthereto will.l

impart movement to a transmitting lever 20, which contacts with a roller havingla Vslottedconnection when the former moves 21 havingr a central upstandingbearing boss i 22is provided with bore to slidingly receive the pistoni rod`19 toi'lorml a loup; guide therefor. This islhiffhly desirable, for the piston is then incapable of readily tilting, thereby insuring smooth piston reciproca/tion within the cylinder 14 at all times. Toenablethe air confined in the cylinderiabove the piston rod 19, to escape before becomingr compressedV uponfupvvardz movement of the piston, the cylinder hea-d 21 is provided with one or more perforations 24 which freely permitsingress and` egress of the air toand from 'the variable space above the piston; tliereby subjecting it to atmospheric pressure. i

A belli cra-nk transmitting lever 2() is pivoted about the pivot pin 25 which is mounted in a fork 2 6. v The fork is rigidly secured in fined relation to the cylinder 14 by virtue of a horizontally disposed plate 27 which is provided with a hole at one" end thereof to tit over-"the boss'22. This boss is `threaded at 28 tolreceive a lock nut 291 which firmly holds the; plate 27 against the-cylinder head 21. VA

standard 31 which is secured to the `fork 26 InE order'to reduce the friction to al mini'mum between the coacting parts of the lever 20 andl the piston rod 19, the upper extremity of said rodi 19 is provided witl'r a slotted connection 35 which is adapted to receive the lever20, and' is provided with arod 36 to hold Weights that may be used to regulate the operating pressure of the piston. An antifriction roller 37 is rotatively mounted within the slotted? connection 35 on a transverse pivot pin 38 so that when theroller 37 contacts with the lever arm 20 to `impart movement thereto, the roller 37 will rotate, thereby eliminating friction resulting from-a sliding` contact. It is 1 to beV noted that the lever 20 will be caused' to rotate about its pivot 25. in a. clockwise direction upon upward movementof the piston rod19; however, theweight of the regulator Awill not in itself eifect a downward movement ol the lever 20'thereby necessitating means` to normally keep the lever arm 1n the draft door which controls admission to'A the lire box, and thc flue closure in such a way as to. ellect either their smiultaneousA or one in advance ofthe other opening and closing,

Aits lowest position. This is accomplished in or vice-versa as may be necessaryfto regulate the pressure of the system within predeter mined limits. The means employed in the present instance to effect such movement of" the flue and tire boi: draft doorsj` comprises ilexi-V and 41 which are interconnected by virtue of an inverted T-shapedlever 42 which is pivoted to a lined vertical standard43 preferably at the jointure olits arms 44, 45 and 4G.. As shown, the standard 43 is preferably situated near and iXed to the fra-mo of the damperdoor l2 so that the chain 40'may be conveniently connected to an arm 44 Aof theT lever inthe usual manner, and Vthe horizontally extend; ing` chain 41 connected tos the arm 45. It is noteworthy here that any oscillation imparted `to the'transmitting lever 20 by virtue of apressure increase within the cylinder 14 will cause the transmitting lever 20 `to move lin a clockwise direction, thereby moving the lire box door 11 toposition to` reduce the arca of its vinlet openingV and moving the chimney iue damper `door12 to position to increase its outlet opening arca. 47 is adjustably secured to the remainingarm 4G ol the lever l2-to" offset or balance `a `part" of the weight of the damperfdoor 12 winchy inthis instance is such as to eii'ect a constant pull on the transmitting lever 2O sulieient to vsaid leva.` to` contact at'all tienes within its operating range with the roller 3T until the flue damper 12 is entirely closed lilith adownward'movement cli' the piston 18. due to a diminishing pressure, the damper door 12 will drop,` thereby causing' the lever 20 to move counter-clockwise until the presi` sure changc'is compensated for.

.A -counter-weigp'it i lV ith the arrangement of parte thus far de scribed., it ise'vident that an increase in pressure will, in proportion to saidpressure, open theldampor door 12 and; close the draft door 11 thereby keeping the-boiler in'` operation mined pressures.

undci' substantially the predetermined dethe regulator over variable predetermined limits tlierebyniaking necessary only a convenient adjustiiient, in order that the heat generating system will` be autonnitically regulated vto any desired load ror pressures. By so doingl the closures 11 and 12 may be made to open and close at any desired boiler pressure by merely adjusting a simpleealibrated ratchet mechanism which will permit the device to respond to critical predeter- The means for controlling the critical pressure at which the air intakes are to open and close to effect regulation, vin this instance7 comprises a ratchet toothed regulator in the forin'of a quadrant operatively associated with a plurality of pawls which may be set to limit the elective oscillating range of the'.transmitting lever 20. By adjusting the regulating quadrant to its extreme counterclockwise position and thepawls to their extreme clockwise positionrA the piston rod in its movement upwardA will impart movement to the transmitting lever 2() which in turn will i actuate thequadrant 49 as the later is een.- nected to the transmitting lever by means ofthe pawlsx The specific meansA employed in this instance comprise a. ieg'ulating` quadrant lever 49 having angularly related -arins 49 and 49b connected by` a curved arm 49c pivoted about the pivot pin 25fat the juncture of the two arms 49,u and 49h, thereby permitting .the quadrant lever 49l and the transmitting lever 2() to move or oscillate about a common center. .As shown, the `free eX- treinities of the arms 49 and 49b of the quadrant 49 are provided with holes 5O1and 51 which are ,designed to receive the chains 39 and 41. It will be noted that any movement of. the closure 11 will impart a: corresponding movement tothe closure y12 by virtue of the direct connection therebetween estab-` lished by the chains 39, yand 41 connected as above described.

o In order to `retain the transmitting lever 2O and the regulator 49 iniiXed relation so that both will move inl unison .in one direcwhich are tion.v a diseneaeeable ratchet Connection is n n provided between the lever 2Ol and the regu-- latoi. This connection comprises a pawl 52 pivotally mounted on one or the arms ot the lever 20 arranged to engage a ratchet rack on the curved arm 490-01: the regulator 49.

As shown,this rack is arranged on the iii-j ternal peripheral edge of thearch member 49Cy ot the regulator. and corresponds in length with the adpistable,pressure range, ranging` vance lever 53 is pivotally securedto the armi of lever 2O below the pawl 52 and pivotaliy carries another pawl 54 arranged to engage the ratchet rack.l Y I A- trip 55 Vis provided :tor use when the device is 'to be utilized to =gradually reduce tho draft, and is pivotally secured to the forli 2G and is arranged to engage the lower end ott ,the balance lever 53 to o erate throughit and pawl 54, as the transmittiiiglever 2O isro# tated; A rib .56 is provided on the inner side oi the trip arranged to engage a slot 57 in' the outer side otone of the prongs or the fork 26, to hold said trip rotation. Thepivot 2,5 onfwhich the trip is mounted,

has a coil spriiigS between itshead and the trip 55 therebyholding` said rib 5G 'in demountable: engagement with said slot and in yi eldi ng engagement with said pivot'2o.

To normally maintain the pawls 52 and 54 in engagement with the ratchet teeth along the regulat r, gravity lever arms 52?L and 542" are provided and extend "therefrom respec-H tively. Y,

The operation of the device will new be described with the trip member 55 moved or turned out ot' enga-gement with the balancingir lever 53, whereby the mechanism is adapted to operate to automatically regulate the draft, either by increasing` or decreasing` the saine `with the fluctuation of boiler pressure. It is used in thisinann er only when it is more im* portant to secure suilicient heat than a strict veconomy in tuel consumption as is the case in vsevere weather. p

It will be noted that the damper door 12 is heavier than the draft door 11.

f 52 will be inengagement with the extreme notch, oiytooth adjacent the position of the regulator designated as cold or Zero. Upon the maximum desired pressure having been Y thereforet-he damper door 12 is closed and the reached, the transmitting lever 29 will be rov tate'd in a vclockwise direction by a slight upward movement of the piston rod 19 resulting' from the increase in boiler pressure above the maximum desired. This clockwise movement or' the lever 20 will cause a corresponding' `iiionvemeirit or' the quadrant 49 since it is connected to the lever by means of the pawl 52, causing avmoveincnt of the draft door 11 towards clofsing' position, and

a movement oit the damper door 12 towarc s open position.l ',Fliisotcourse, fill cause a checking' of the ltire as itshould bewunder-` the circumstancesv nan'iely rising pressurebeyoiid the predetermined an'iount. i It therefore obvious that by chang;l N or the quadrantrelative to tl pawl 52 that the amount oi? the opening ot the draft door 11 is varied with a consequent change in time lie' the positionl of the'beginiiing; of the movementl oit the 13o or, tooth adjacent the transmitting lever to"causea movement of the damper doortoward opening position and a corresponding movement of the draft door towards closing position. Thus, if thequadrant issct in relation to the pawl 52fsojthat the latterI will be in engagement with a notch osition of the regulator designatedasmild, the damperdoor 'will be, of course partially opened, and the.

draft door will bein aposition intermediate its full open position and its closed position'. ,Y Upon an increase in .pressure above the desiredpredeterm ined pressure the lever 2O `will be rotated in a clockwise direction by the upward movement of the piston rod 19 re-` sulting from an* increase inboilerpressure.` This clockwise rotation ofthe transmitting lever will cause a corresponding movement of the regulator' which will instantly start a closing of thedraft dcorll and a further opening of the damper door 12 with the re-l sult that the tire is checked as it shou'ld Vbe under the circumstances, namely, rising pressure beyond the predetermined amount.`

`Upon a drop in pressure below the predetermined amount, the iston rod 19 will drop,

causing a counter-c ockwise rotation ofthe lever 20, which will permit? the heavier damper door 12 to move the quadrant ina counter-clockwise direction in unison with" the lever 20, thus permitting iiiovingoftheV damper door towards closing position and a corresponding movementofthe draft door towards a wider open position.

From the above it will be seen that a-regulator has been provided which is simple,f

lpositive in action and readily adjustable to any desired range within which it is desired to regulate a boiler or other heat generating system. l

The device, as has been hereinbefore explained is also capable of causing an automatic gradual closing of the draft door and a corresponding gradual opening of the damper door. This is especially useful after Va new supply of coal has been fed tothe tire, the draft door is fully opened to cause a quick burning lof the fuel, andas soon as the fuel has a: good startthe draft doorcloses thereby checking the fire. This reduces the pressure in the cylinder and the piston returns to it-s lower position thus reopening the A draft. However, due `to the actuation ofthe levers and pawls onthe regulator, the draft door is opened to a lesserdegree than that which it previously occupied; Asthe pressure rises again the draft is closed and the cycle'is repeated, the draft door opening less 'each time, thereby automatically and gradually reducing the draft, to effect an economy in fuel consumption.

The operation of the device for this gradi ual regulation is as follows. The trip meinber 55 is pulledfoutwardly against the compression ofA the spring 58 and revolvedftill slot 57, in which position, the memberV 551`wi1l be 1n 'contacting engagement with the balancing lever` V53.-,` After a fresh su ply of coal Yhas been fed to the fire, the regu ator 4:9`

`will be moved to its `extreme counter-clockwise position, the pawls 52 and 54 engaging the extreme right ratchet teeth adjacent the portion of the quadrant marked cold or zero,

at which position the draft doorll vwill be wide open, the damper door' l2 `will be closed, and the chain 41 will besubstantially taut;

'the rib 56-alipsfintoengagement 'withtheY i Upon an increase in pressure in the boiler, the Y Y piston 18 will move upward causing arota- 1 tion in a clockwise direction of the lever 20, and a somewhat greater rotation ofthebalancing lever 53 about its ivot, since the lever 53 will not only move with the lever 20, but

it will rotate about its own pivot "because of its engagement .with the ,trip member 55;

The pawl 5.4 carried bythe balancinglever 4 53 will, therefore, ,causethe quadrant to advance more rapidl into a tooth to the rear of the one in whic `it has previously rested. The clockwise nieve-y inent of the quadrant will, of` course, -close the draft 'and check thefire and in so doing the pressure in the boiler will lower. `The lowering ofthe pressure willi then permit the piston to return to its normal position, caro than the transmitting Y leverl 20, thus causing thel pawl 52to dro y ryinglthe lever arm 20 downward. Upon the Y return movement `the bala,n'cing` leverwill alsoreturn and because of the., trip member 55 the pawl 54,carried on thebalancing lever, will travel a greater distance than the pawl 52and it williengagein a notch to the. rear we y of that which itV previously occupied; Dury increases, the levers and quadrant will again rotate clockwise. Thus, after theirst clockwise advance of the quadrant'and its subsequent movement `in a counter-clockwise direction both pawls will be inengagement with the quadrant, preferably one` notch to the rear of its originalstartingposition, and the damper door 11 willjbe `opened a lesser amount andthedraft `12 closed a corresponding amount. This will take-"place with each successive fluctuation ofthe pressure piston 18 andthereby cause a step by step clockwise advance of thequadrant until the Vquadra-nt has been moved, relative tothe lever 20, to its extremeclockwise `position at which time iosa the draft door 1l willrbe fully closed and the damper doorl 12 fullyfopened, y Y y The setting of the Vdevice in its counterclockwise or starting position is usually made at the time thefurnace is supplied with fuel and by the 'time or before' tie quadranthas reached itsl extreme Aclockwise position, relative to the lever 20, itis time to res'upply fuel, at `Which time the vpawlsare again `set at cold or zero and the (pia/nant moved to Yits extreme counter-clockwise position, and `the cycle `repeats itself.

rThe objects of the invention `are acco1n= plished in a very simplemanner by the construction and arrangement ot parts shown and described but it is considered that the vsame is capable of many alternatives Without vdeparting from the spirit of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

I clai1n:. l Y i 1. In a device lof the class described, .the combination with a fire draftclosure and a flue `damper closure, of ..pressure operated means, a pivotally mounted regulator having ratchet teeth,a pivotally mounted trans-,

mitting lever operatively connecting said pressure operated means and said regulating means, flexible means connecting the closures with the regulatorl arranged so that one of said closures closes as the other opens upon rotation ofsaid regulator, a balancing lever sure Vand a flue damper comprising, in combination, a cylinder connected with a source of pressure, a piston mounted for reciprocation in said cylinder having a piston rodV extendingbeyond the end of said cylinder, a toothed regulator having end apertures, one adapted vto beconnecte'davith each closure, pivotally meunted adjacent said cylinder, pivotally n icunted transmitting means operativelycon- -nected to said piston rod arranged to rotate responsiveto vpressure changes in said cylinder, a balancing lever pivotally mounted onsaid transmitting means, a pair of -paWls,4 one mounted on said transmitting means and the other on the balancing lever, both engaging the regular teeth, trip means engaging the pivotally mountedgonthetransmitting means,

' means, a pivotally mounted regulator having ratchet teeth on its internal periphery, a. pivotally mounted transn'iitting lever responsive i to pressure changes, connecting said pressure operated lmeans and'A said regulating means, chains connecting the closures With the regubalancing lever whereby upon a rocking back and forth of the transmitting lever ra step by step advance movement ofthe regulator'is, effected by the contacting of the balancing means With the trip means, produced bythe cooperation of the pavvls with the teeth of the Y regulator. f 1 y A device of the class described adapted to alternately open and close a lire draft closure and a Hue damper comprising, in combination, a cylinder connected With a source of pressure, a piston mounted for reciprocation therein, apiston rod extending from said pis-` ton through an elongated-boss on onefof the" cylinder heads, a slotted connection on the end of said piston vvrocha plate adapted to carry a standard secured to said boss, a standard having a forked-end secured to said plate,

a toothed regulator pivotally lmounted to said fork and provided with end apertures, one adapted to be connected with each closure, transmitting means having a comanon pivot center With said regulator and operatively connected to said slotted connection arranged to rotate responsive to pressure changes in said cylinder, a balancing lever pivotally mounted on said transmitting means to operate oneof a pair of paWls, one

`of which is mountedon said transmitting means and the other on the balancing leve-r,

"both of said pawls engaging the regulator teeth and arranged to impart a gradual step d lators so that one of said closures opens as the other closes upon rotation of said regulator, a balancing lever pivotally mounted on said transmitting lever, A a stationary trip cam mounted in the ath of the balancing lever,

ltivo parvls of di erent length lever arms, the

shorter pawl being mounted on the transmitting lever and the longer pawl being mounted lon the balancing lever, both engaging said ratchet teeth Where-by upon a fluctuation of l the pressureapplied to the pressure operated means a step by step advance movement is imparted to the regulator upon the transmitting lever carrying the balancing lever into engagement with said trip meansto op crate the pawls.

- 3. A device of the class described adapted to alternately open and close a lire draft cloby stepl advance movement of the regulator, trip means engaging the balancing lever, whereby upon a rocking baclr and forth of the transmitting lever the gradual advance movenient of the regulator is effected bythe con-A tacting of the balancing means With the trip means to operate said pai'vls, y

5. A device kof the class described adapted to alternately open and close la lire draft closure and a flue damper closure comprising, in combination, a cylinder connected With a source of pressure, a piston mountedl for re-` ciprocation' therein, ka piston rod extending fromV said piston through one of the cylinder heads, a tooth regulator mounted adjacent said pistonrod, means' for connecting said regulator with the closures, transmittmg means operatively associated with therregu- Ylatorl andopeiatively connected with said pis- `tonto rock responsive to `pressure changes 'in said cylinder, a balancing lever pivotally ".vaiiicemovement of the regulator, tri means mounted on said transmitting means to oper- Y ate one of a pair of` pavvls, one of which ismountedon said transmitting means and the v ot-lieroii the balancing lever, both of said f pawls engaging',theregulator'teeth and a1"- tio" ranged to Aimpart a gradual step by. step fadj 4engaging the balancing lever, where y upon l lto alternatelyopen and close a tire draft closure and a Hue damper closure comprising,

a rocking back and forth of the transmitting lever the Vgradual advance movement of. the ,gulator is effected by the contacting of the ancing-means Wit-li the trip means to-.operate said-paWls.` Y

6, A device of the class described adaptedV "in combination, pressure Vresponsive means connectedvvith a source ofV pressure, a toothed regulator mounted adjacent said pressure y means, `means for connecting said regulator p with the closures, transmitting means operi atvelyfassociated with the regulator and V pressure,responsive means to rock responsive y `to pressure changes of said pressure responsive means, a ,bbalancing `lever` `pivotally mounted! on said transmitting means to-opcrate one .of a pair of pawls, one of which `is `mounted-on said transmitting means and the other onthe balancinglever, both of said i pawls engaging `the regulator teetliand arranged to impart a gradual step by step ad# eigenaar;

"vence movement of vthe regnlatorytrip means engaging the balancing leverwliereby u na p rocking back and `forth of the transmitting leverV the Vgradualadvance movement ofthe y wie` thetripmeans to` op- `ing, in combination, pressure responsive f means connectedwith a sourcelofpressure, a i l toothed regulator mounted ad)acent said pressure means, means for connecting said regulator. with` the closures,ftransmitting means operatively associated with the regulat-or and pressure responsive meansto` rock `responsive to'pressure changes of said pres-V sure responsive means, means associated with the transmitting means to Voperate one of a` pair of pavvls, one of vwhich is mounted on said transmitting means andthe other on the balancing lever, both of said pavvls engaging the regulator teeth land varranged to impart a gradual step bystep advance movement of v the "baly anoing lever, whereby' upon a rociing back the regulator, trip means engagin and forth of the transmitting lever the gradnaladvance movement of ther ulator is eifected by the contacting ofthe alancing means `with the trip means'to operatevsaid i pawls.

` In testimony whereof I axmy signature A `at 10`fSoutliIvia- Salle St., Chicago, Illinois. y

y BARNEY GOODMAN. 

